Goodness is Good

I wholeheartedly believe that “nobody’s perfect” and that “everyone makes mistakes,” but I find it confounding that these sentiments are so often expressed as a means of comfort. It’s good to know that we are not alone in our imperfection, and it is good to know that mistakes are not surprising, but is that our greatest consolation?

It is absolutely “okay to not be okay.” I’ve heard it said a hundred times in churches, and it’s true. The body of Christ is a safe place to struggle. But if we lose sight of how it can also be “good to be good” or that it is “okay to be okay,” then we don’t have much tangible hope to offer. We shouldn’t tell people, “It’s okay; you’ll never be okay.” Rather, we have an opportunity to tell the sufferer and the struggler, “The result of walking with the Spirit will be goodness in your life, and goodness is good for you and for everyone else.” Yes, we will suffer. Yes, we will struggle. But how sweet it is of God to grow goodness in our lives through our relationship with him! It’s okay to be okay, and it’s more than okay to stay that way.

“When you see your inadequacy, let it drive you toward your good God and the goodness he grows in you through his Spirit.”

When you sin against your kids, is it a greater comfort to say to yourself, “No parent is perfect,” or, “There is forgiveness for sin, so I’ll repent and pursue the beautiful goodness God talks about that comes from walking with him”? When you lose your temper, is there more gospel relief in knowing that “everyone makes mistakes” or in knowing that God cleanses us from our transgressions and calls us to something greater? When the Bible talks about the sin of all mankind, it discusses this not only to comfort us with the fact that everyone is failing but to reveal our need for God. Let that be true in your home as well. When you see your inadequacy, let it drive you toward your good God and the goodness he grows in you through his Spirit.

Lofty call

Nobody in my family gets everything right all the time. When my sons were too little to read, I asked them if they knew any of the Ten Commandments from the Bible. One of my sons boldly recalled hearing in church that we are “not to climb adult trees” (i.e., commit adultery).Not quite, but still good advice.

In Deuteronomy, Moses gives a long speech of instruction and encouragement to a new generation of Israelites and repeats the Ten Commandments that had been given to their parents at Mount Sinai, including the command that Jesus would later call the greatest in the entire Bible—loving God with everything you’ve got! Right after that, Moses tells the Israelites to diligently teach their kids to love and obey God. He commands these new parents to teach the next generation about God all the time and everywhere they go.

You might be thinking, “Who can actually do all that?” And perhaps some of the Israelite parents felt the same. Yet at the end of his speech, Moses tells them that this is “not too hard” for them (30:14)! He encourages this huge crowd by saying, “You can do it” (30:11).

Perfect help

Of course, none of us are strong enough to perfectly follow God and raise our kids. We are all struggling and stumbling through this parenthood journey. In fact, if the quality of our parenting determined every outcome for our kids, we’d all be in big trouble. We are all imperfect parents.

“Don’t forget that we can serve God. We can please God. We can glorify God. Goodness is a result of walking with God, and you are walking with God.”

But we have the help of a perfect God! We plant seeds of the gospel. We water them often. But it is God who “gives the growth” (1 Cor. 3:7)! And since God is with you, since he loves your kids, since he gives you his church to help you, since he equips you for obedience, since you can cast all your burdens on him, since you can be forgiven for your mistakes, you can do it! You can follow God and raise your kids in a way that honors him.

This is a beautiful part of our story as children of God. We are less than perfect, but we are not worthless. We are loved. We are inadequate in many ways, but we are not insignificant or inept. We are empowered and charged by the all-powerful God who promises to be with us. When you feel insecure, there is no greater promise to cling to than when Jesus says, “I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20).

God is with us as he was with Joshua the high priest. In Zechariah 3, God plucks Joshua out of the fire, rescues him from Satan’s accusations, and cleanses him from his iniquity—and that isn’t even the end of Joshua’s story. After God cleanses, he calls him and tells the now well-dressed Joshua, “Walk in my ways” (3:7).

Yes, we are imperfect. Yes, we make mistakes. Yes, we sin. Yes, we cannot save ourselves. But when we focus on only those truths, we can get down on ourselves. Don’t forget that we can serve God. We can please God. We can glorify God. Goodness is a result of walking with God, and you are walking with God. We are sinners, but we are not worthless. We are mistake makers, but in Christ we are not incapable of pleasing God. God calls us to please him by exercising our faith. Because you walk with the Spirit, there is goodness available to you in Christ and relief from all kinds of inadequacy.

Consider what it is to see God’s goodness worked out in you. Does someone have a need you could meet right now? You are more than capable of giving a good, sincere, uplifting word that will encourage that person. Who could you bless in this way? Take a moment and send an encouragement to someone who needs it. Maybe write an encouraging note to your child or spouse. Then consider Matthew 5:16, and give glory to your Father who is in heaven for the good he does through you.

A Prayer for Times of Insecurity and Inadequacy

Heavenly Father, I have trouble seeing the good in me that comes from you. I feel unvalued and unworthy. Sometimes I lack the confidence to act on what I know to be right. But I choose to believe that my union with your Son, Jesus Christ, has changed me and given me faith that pleases you. Use me, Lord. I surrender all my strength to you. Do good through me that will bless my family. Protect me from both pride and passivity. Be pleased with my worship. Be pleased with my sacrifice. Be pleased with my efforts. Be glorified in the good you do through me. Amen.

The Pressure to Parent Perfectly

Goodness is Good

Lofty call

Perfect help

A Prayer for Times of Insecurity and Inadequacy